Dreams

“Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumblebee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams.” ---Ashley Smith

I read the following post on my Facebook page and it made me think about our dreams.

“Everyone makes their own choices. No one can make you choose what you believe,dream,want,or what/who to love. Today I chose to BELIEVE in a DREAM that I WANT with all my HEART! NO BODY....NO ONE....will break my spirit”.

Strong post and I hope that they realize their dream(s). I reflected on this post for several days. I am curious as why we as adults give up on our dreams so easily. Is it because we are lazy, or do we fear the process to achieve our dreams? Living our dreams does not and will not ever come easily. It is a long and bumpy road to realize our dreams. The road is filled with criticism, doubt, fear, inadequacy and difficulties. It is also filled with joy, discovery, fun, expansion of mind and memorable moments too many to list. Brian Tracy teaches that if you manifest your desires and dreams that this will attract that to your life. I would add that if you take massive action to that which you manifest you would attract that to your life. You cannot move aggressively towards something and have it stay the same distance away. Much like my weight loss journey, the more I move towards being healthy, the more weight I lose and the closer to my goal I become.

However, if you desire something or dream of something and lack the power, ability and courage to take action, it can create misery and unhappiness.

“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.” ---Epicurus

I will end my comments on this post with something I recently read and believe is true. If you can muster the call to action, you can achieve all you desire.

Michael A. Verdicchio wrote the following:

The dictionary defines fantasy as, "an imagined event or sequence of mental images, such as a daydream, usually fulfilling a wish or psychological need; an unrealistic or improbable supposition." That is fantasy.

However, the vision that you have for your life, your goals, your dreams and your desires, are not fantasy. They are not just daydreams fulfilling a psychological need. They are not just some nice mind games to keep you happy and positive. And they are certainly not unrealistic or improbable suppositions.

Quite the contrary, your goals, your dreams, and your desires really do matter. They are important. Why? They are important because they are YOUR goals. They are YOUR dreams. They are YOUR desires.

Have you ever wondered who decides and determines if your goals, dreams and desires are too big? Does someone exist who has the authority to overrule your goals, desires and dreams? Do we determine and decide for others just how big they can dream, or what goals are simply not realistic for them?

It is not your place or mine to determine if someone's goals and dreams and desires are too big for them or not. You and I are not the ones to figure that out for someone else. Likewise, it is no one else's business to decide if your goals and dreams and desires are too big or not for you. They are yours!

So, what about ability and resources? Is that the criteria that should determine the size of our goals? If that were true, a blind man would have never made it to the top of Mt. Everest. And yet, Erik Weihenmayer did just that in 2001. If ability and resources determine whether a goal is too big or not, then three small ships would have never crossed the Atlantic Ocean to the New World. But in 1492, they did.

Sometimes looking at our own present ability and our own present resources are enough to deter us from what we really desire deep inside. That is, unless of course we have the right connections!

Have you ever heard the statement, "It's who you know that counts?" I'm sure you have. And you've also probably heard, "You've got to have connections to make it in this world."

Now I'm not denying that connections can be helpful; many times, they are very helpful. The point I am making is that too often people look at their lack of ability and resources. Then, they look at their lack of "connections" and they give up on their goals. But, they have overlooked the biggest and best connection of all!

As Christians we have a loving Father, unwavering in His love for us, and unlimited in His ability and His resources. With that kind of a connection, why would you ever give up or abandon your goals, dreams and desires? In fact, there is a verse in the Bible that talks about God being able to do that which is exceedingly abundantly above all that we could ask or think!

How big can you think? How big can you dream? How big are your goals and desires? It really doesn't matter what it seems like to other people. It's not their dream – it is yours! You can have it. And, you can have every desire of your heart!

Fantasy is a dream with no action. Without action, dreams become unrealistic or improbable suppositions. Without action, our desires are nothing more than a sequence of mental images. Without action, our desires just become daydreams.

The vision you carry of your life, your goals, your dreams, and your desires are your prerogative, and they are very important! They are important because they are yours! Don't let anyone talk you out of them. Especially don't talk yourself out of them!

Because God loves you, your goals and dreams and desires are important to Him too. Don't allow them to evaporate into a fantasy. Instead, ask for His help, and begin taking action.

Act now! Do something, no matter how small it seems to you! Acquire information, develop a new skill, or talk to someone. The point is, start moving.

Remain confident that your desires will come to pass, that your dreams will be fulfilled, and that your goals will be met, and they will!
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"Really great people make you feel that you, too, can become great.” ---Mark Twain

“Whatever you do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius and power and magic in it.” ---Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I will not forget you. Love me and I may be forced to love you.” ---William Arthur Ward